Environment in Somalia has suffered greatly since the fall of military regime in 1991. The environment has fallen victim to the lawlessness in the country and is deteriorating day by day. Ileys strives to combat environmental problems in central Somalia.

A man sitting on a truck loaded with charcoal

The following are among areas that need our action.

1.  Burning of the forests and cutting down all big trees for the sake of producing of charcoal which is exported abroad.

2.  Lack of renewable energy sources results in heavy dependency on wood/charcoal for cooking.

3.  Heavy cutting of trees by nomads for building shelters for both human and livestock. Due to the constant movements of pastoralist nomads in the central Somalia more trees are cut to provide shelters for both human and livestock.

4.  A problem we share with the rest of Somalia is the most serious threat posed by the nuclear waste dumped in Somali coasts and inland.

5.  Wildlife is poached without discrimination

6.  Foreign fishing vessels with sea sweeping nets

7.  Lack of environmental awareness within the Somali society

To counter these problems, Ileys plans to 

1.  Find possible strategies to combat desertification in Somalia.

2.  Conduct ecological research in Central Somalia, especially in the areas that are severely affected.

3.  Create tree plantation nurseries and implement re-fores re-forestation programs.

4.   Provide occupational skills training to enable villagers to become self-supporting and give up forest burning for living.

5.   Increase level of environmental understanding among the people and encourage community's participation in environment protection.

6.   Organize periodical workshops on protecting the local environment.